Growing Cane Berries in the Sacramento Region

Cooperative Extension-Sacramento County 4145 Branch Center Road, Sacramento, CA 95827-3823 (916) 875-6913 Office • (916) 875-6233 Fax Website: sacmg.ucanr.edu Environmental Horticulture Notes EHN 86 GROWING CANE BERRIES IN THE SACRAMENTO REGION With good preparation and proper care, most cane berries (blackberries and raspberries) can be grown in the Sacramento area. Cane berries are very manageable if they are trellised and pruned correctly, and if their roots are contained when necessary, such as with red raspberries. This paper focuses on cane berries in the garden, but most of the topics are relevant to commercial production as well. See EHN 88 for information on blueberries. SPECIES AND VARIETIES BLACKBERRIES, BOYSENBERRIES AND RELATED BERRIES Several berry types, both thorny and thornless, are often classified as blackberries and are sometimes called dewberries. The main types are western trailing types (Rubus ursinus), which are discussed below, and erect and semi-erect cultivars (no trellis required), which are being developed mainly for cold climates. Most trailing varieties root at the tips of shoots if they come in contact with the soil. BLACKBERRIES: One of the oldest and most popular varieties is ‘Ollalie’, which is actually a cross between blackberry, loganberry, and youngberry. It is large and glossy black at maturity and is slightly longer and more slender than the boysenberry. ‘Thornless Black Satin’ has a heavy crop of large, elongated dark berries that are good for fresh eating or cooking. Another good variety is ‘Black Butte’. ‘Marion’ berry is widely grown in the Pacific Northwest; the plant is very spiny and the berry is used mostly for canning, freezing, pies, and jam. ‘Loganberry’ is a cross between wild blackberry and raspberry and is available as thorny or thornless. It ripens early and has large, elongated, dusky red berries that are juicy and acidic, and it can be used for fresh eating, frozen, or preserves. ‘Tayberry’ originated in Scotland and is a cross between blackberry and raspberry. It has thorny canes that bear large, narrow reddish black fruit with a tart flavor. BOYSENBERRIES: The boysenberry, which originated in California, is reddish-black, juicy, and very large at maturity. Its aroma and sweet-tart flavor are suggestive of raspberries, and they are available in both thorny and thornless varieties. The nectarberry is very vigorous and thorny but produces a berry especially good for baking. The thornless youngberry is similar to the nectarberry, but almost seedless. RASPBERRIES: Raspberries (Rubus idaeus) are largely grown in the relatively cool, marine climate of the Pacific Northwest. In the Sacramento area, most varieties grow best with some afternoon shade; however, ‘Oregon 1030’ and ‘Bababerry’ will tolerate full sun. Red raspberries have very invasive roots and will spread unless contained by deep borders. Master Gardeners at the Fair Oaks Horticulture Center attempted to contain raspberry roots with an 18” flexible bamboo barrier but were not totally successful. Unwanted shoots need to be hoed or removed in the spring. Three types of raspberries are available: summer bearing, everbearing, and black. Summer bearing varieties, like blackberries, produce new canes from the ground at the same time that they bear fruit (May- June) on last year’s canes. Everbearing (also known as fall-bearing) varieties produce flowers and then fruit on the mature tips of current season’s growth, starting in late summer and continuing through the fall. If not pruned, the same canes would then over-winter and produce a smaller second crop on the lower half of the canes the following May. Black raspberries have dark fruit in June or July that are produced on vines trained as shrubs, so they need no trellis. It is the policy of the University of California (UC) and the UC Division of Agriculture & Natural Resources not to engage in discrimination against or harassment of any person in any of its programs or activities (Complete nondiscrimination policy statement can be found at http://ucanr.edu/sites/anrstaff/files/215244.pdf). Inquiries regarding ANR’s nondiscrimination policies may be directed to the Affirmative Action Compliance Officer/Title IX Officer, University of California, Agriculture and Natural Resources, 2801 Second Street, Davis, CA 95618, (530) 750-13197. Agriculture • Nutrition, Family and Consumer Sciences • Master Food Preservers • 4-H Youth Development • Horticulture • Master Gardeners U.S. Department of Agriculture, University of California, and the Counties of Sacramento, Solano, and Yolo cooperating EHN 86 GROWING CANE BERRIES IN THE SACRAMENTO REGION PAGE 2 OF 5 Summer bearing varieties: ‘Willamette’ and ‘Meeker’ are the leading varieties in the Pacific Northwest but they do not produce as well in our heat. ‘Canby’ has thick, thornless canes that produce large, light red berries used for fresh eating only. It is very resistant to mosaic virus and aphids. ‘Newburgh’ tolerates heavy soils, and it produces sweet golden fruit. ‘Latham’ is a late variety with berries that often crumble when picked. Everbearing varieties: ‘Oregon 1030’ is adapted for the hot valley and is very prolific with large, sweet, and firm fruit. ‘Bababerry’ is very similar to ‘Oregon 1030’ and also tolerates heat well. ‘Heritage’ vines are vigorous and sprawling, producing dark red berries with a mild flavor, but a bit dry. ‘Indian Summer’ produces small crops of large berries. ‘Fallgold’ is bushy with lower vigor; the fruit are yellow with a mild, sweet flavor. Black raspberries: Black, or blackcap, raspberries resemble red raspberries in many ways, but the fruit are bluish black, firmer, and have a more distinct flavor. Also, they are viney shrubs and they do not sucker from roots. Like blackberries, new plants form when arching cane tips root in soil. Like most other raspberries, they perform best with afternoon shade. ‘Munger’ produces large, firm, shiny black fruit. It is often used for fresh eating and for freezing and preserves. ‘Cumberland’ also has large fruit but is less flavorful and seedy. CURRANTS AND GOOSEBERRIES: Currants (Ribes sativum) and gooseberries (Ribes grossularia) do not grow well in hot climates, but they can grow here with afternoon shade. They are shrubby fruiting bushes and grow to 5 to 7 ft. tall. They can grow on many soil types, but require moist soil. The fruit is too tart to be eaten out of hand and must be cooked for use in pies, jams, and preserves. Both species serve as alternative hosts for white pine blister rust, a disease that attacks five-needle pines, such as sugar and various white pines. For this reason, planting these berries was illegal until 1966, when it was determined that many wild Ribes species also serve as alternate hosts. Nonetheless, if five-needle pines do occur in the landscape, do not plant these berries. Currant varieties include ‘Cherry’, ‘Consort’, ‘Crandall Black’, ‘Red Lake’, and ‘Wilder’. Gooseberries ripen in early summer (earlier than currants) and include the variety ‘Pixwell’. CULTURAL PRACTICES Cane berries, like most woody plants, will grow on most soil types, provided that the soil is porous and well drained. Raspberries, however, produce best on sandy loam soil. Most berries grow best in a soil with a pH of about 6.0 to 7.0. SOIL PREPARATION: Cane berries benefit by incorporating well-decomposed organic matter into the soil. The best organic amendment is compost that has undergone a thorough aerobic decomposition process. If undecomposed material is used, such as manure or leaves, do not plant for at least one or two months before planting to allow it to break down. Any organic amendment should be thoroughly incorporated into the soil, especially clay soils, since buried pockets of organic matter may become toxic to roots by not decomposing properly. Most berries are shallow rooted, and the roots occupy a space about 3 or 4 feet wide. Therefore, the soil should be dug this wide and at least a foot deep; two feet would be better if drainage is poor. If hardpan is present in the top 2 feet of soil, it must be broken up or else roots will not grow and water will not drain properly. Alternatively, use raised beds or mounds to provide adequate soil for root growth. PLANTING AND SPACING: Cane berries are often planted during the dormant season (mainly December and January), but potted vines can also be planted in spring or summer. Cane berries should be planted on a small mound or berm if the soil is poorly drained. Bare root blackberries should be set at the same depth they were growing before transplanting, whereas raspberries should be set about an inch lower. Roots should be spread as much as possible and the soil firmed well around them. After planting, irrigate and cover the soil with plenty of mulch, such as wood chips. In-row spacing for blackberries is 3½ to 4 feet, and raspberries can be planted 2½ to 3 feet. Rows should be 8 to 10 feet apart. EHN 86 GROWING CANE BERRIES IN THE SACRAMENTO REGION PAGE 3 OF 5 FERTILIZING: Berries do not require large amounts of fertilizer so observe first whether plants are growing and fruiting well. If fertilizer is needed, rake back mulch, spread fertilizer over the soil without incorporating it in, then replace mulch and water in well. As growth begins in early spring, fertilize raspberries and blackberries with a 20-20-20 formula at a rate of 4 to 6 pounds per 100 feet of row; this application can be split half in spring and half at bloom. Organic fertilizers such as blood meal, cottonseed meal, fish meal, and alfalfa meal can be applied instead of the above inorganic recommendations to any of the berries. WATERING: Berries require moist but not wet soil. Water is critical during berry development through harvest, and during bud formation.

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